UWA Handbook 2025

Unit Overview

Description

This practical unit draws together students from different levels of musical experience at pre-tertiary level, and consolidates essential musicianship, technical skills and repertory in either performance or composition. For performers, the emphasis is on development of instrumental technique and performance skills including developing an awareness of psychological, biomechanical/performance health concepts, and preparing students for the repertoire-based focus of the next unit in the sequence, MUSC1342 Principal Studies 2. For composers, technical skills are developed through short composition exercises based on pertinent examples from the repertoire of twentieth- and twenty-first-century music. This prepares students for a study of higher level techniques introduced in the next unit in the sequence, MUSC1342 Principal Studies 2. This unit is a complementary unit in the Music Studies major (degree-specific major) in the Bachelor of Arts degree.

Credit

6 points

Offering
(see Timetable)

Availability	Location	Mode
Semester 1	UWA (Perth)	Face to face
Semester 2	UWA (Perth)	Face to face

Details for undergraduate courses

• Level 1 core unit in the Music Studies; Music major sequences

Outcomes

Students are able to (1) in performance—(a) demonstrate a fundamental level vocal/instrumental technique; (b) demonstrate regular control of intonation, rhythm, accuracy, articulation and tone quality through performance of technical work; (c) prepare repertoire that incorporates technical work, etudes and vocal/instrumental literature appropriate to this foundational level of tertiary performance; (d) demonstrate musicianship through fundamental use of phrasing, dynamic control and general expression; (e) employ collaborative music making skills appropriate to this foundational level of tertiary performance; and (f) demonstrate a holistic awareness and understanding of psychological and performance health issues and (2) in composition—(a) demonstrate knowledge of the conventions of music notation for pitch, rhythm, dynamics, articulation, as well ensemble scoring; (b) demonstrate fundamental compositional techniques for the development of simple musical material; (c) demonstrate understanding of acoustic instruments, their capabilities and limitations; (d) employ collaborative music making skills appropriate to this foundational level of tertiary performance; (e) apply knowledge and awareness of repertoire and historical approaches to composition appropriate to the level of the unit..

Assessment

Indicative assessments in this unit are as follows: (1) performers: solo repertoire examination; OR

composers: composition projects, assignments, and tests; (2) collaborative music project; and (3) performance stream: learning module, or composition stream: workshop participation. Further information is available in the unit outline.

To pass this unit, a student must: (a) achieve an overall mark of 50 per cent or higher for the unit; and (b) achieve the requisite requirements(s) or a mark of 50 per cent or greater, whichever is higher and specified in the unit outline, for the performers: solo repertoire examination; OR composers: composition projects, assignments, and tests component.

Student may be offered supplementary assessment in this unit if they meet the eligibility criteria.

Unit Coordinator(s)

Graeme Gilling and Dr. James Ledger

Unit rules

Prerequisites

Successful completion of

Conservatorium of Music audition/composition portfolio

Co-requisites

MUSC1591 Music Large Ensemble 1
and Enrolment in

MJD-MUSDM Music
or MJD-MUSST Music Studies

Incompatibility

MUSC1741 Practical Studies A
or MUSC1742 Practical Studies B
or MUSC2741 Practical Studies C
or MUSC3741 Practical Studies D

Contact hours

individual/group lessons: 12 hours per semester
workshops: 20 hours per semester
collaborative music projects: varies according to each project